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LGBT+ History: London Switchboard

1974 London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard, a London-based information and support helpline, is established in March.

Originally setup to support men coming out after the partial decriminalisation of male Homosexuality and signpost to the newly formed ‘gay scene’. In the 1980’s the organisation extended its remit to try and educate people on the AIDs epidemic, which led to some of the volunteers going on to setup other organisations such as the Terrence Higgins Trust and The National Aids Manual.

In 2014, Queen Elizabeth II sent a message of congratulations on their 40th anniversary, the first time that the British Monarchy has acknowledged and supported the LGBT+ community so publicly.

Switchboard rebranded to its current name and logo in 2015, to recognise that its services are not limited to London, and to include people from all sexual orientations and gender identities.